Vote-buying and other alleged irregularities on election-day - report

Election day 2009 saw countless reports of irregularities with most major parties accusing each other of vote-buying and other attempts to manipulate the election outcome.

SkaraBar/СкараБар

It was about time someone restored the gourmet dignity of the word "skara", the Bulgarian word for "grill" and the most common way of preparing meat on the Balkan peninsula, in Sofia. In a city where the claim to culinary excellence has increasingly become the domain of fancy fusion cuisine, "skara" sometimes seemed an inferior concept, suited only to second-rate `hood joints. But just when grilled meatballs were beginning to seem endangered species in the world of Bulgarian fine dining, a couple of people spoke to me with true passion about the kyufte at SkaraBar. This was good-enough reason to book a table (making a reservation, it turned out, was a smart idea) in the small restaurant in Park Zaimov.

TALKING BUSINESS: A winning tandem

When challenges are not an excuse for being unsuccessful

Kiril Vatev's business card reveals just his name and company logo. Nothing in his e-mail address suggests that he is one of the owners and the manager of Tandem-V, producer of one of the best-known Bulgarian brands of meat products Vatev's card reflects the development of his company from a small business exercise started by two brothers to today's full-scale production unit represented in most shops around the country.

National briefs

Another 4.3 Richter-scale tremor shakes Bulgaria

An earth tremor measuring 4.3 on the Richter scale shook northern Bulgaria soon after 1pm on May 12 2008, the Geophysical Institute at the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences said. The epicenter was in Bulgaria, some 270km to the northeast of the capital of Sofia, near the town of Strazhitsa, Focus news agency said. The town has a sad fame because of the 1986 earthquake, which measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and

Bulgarian oil producers fined to over 2m leva

Because of illegal price arrangements between producers of oil, Bulgaria's Commission for the Protection of Competition (CPC) fined 14 Bulgarian companies for a total of over 2 million leva, CPC announced on January 17. The companies Kaliakra from Dorich, Biser Oliva from Stara Zagora and Papas Olio from Yambol were handed maximum fines of 300 000 leva each. Sofia-based New Oil and Zurneni Hrani Bulgaria received fines of 150 000 leva each, while Zvezda from Dolna Mitropoliya, Oliva from Pleven, Pliska from Shoumen and Niva from Kostinbrod were fined 100 000 leva each. Fines of 80 000 leva each were given to Rosa from Popovo, Gaitek Oliva from Stara Zagora and Zlatna Trakkiya from Kurdjali.

READING ROOM: The god of thunder

At Dobrinishte, the last outpost of civilisation, we used the bathroom of a nearby club, then stocked up on biscuits and crisps, as the chalet that would be home for the next six days lay six km away in the wilderness, accessible only by cable lift. A former German army bus took us to the bottom terminal, on the north-east face of Pirin Mountain. Once on our way up, two overriding sentiments collided within me: one of awe of the

PREGNANT WOMAN AND CLERGYMAN TAKE PART IN BULGARIA'S BIG BROTHER 3

The third edition of Big Brother in Bulgaria started on September 18 with the entry of 16 participants in the constantly monitored house of the reality show. A pregnant woman would be among the participants. Svetlana planned to remain in the house long enough to give birth there as a part of her life's new beginning. One clergyman also decided to take part in the show, despite the fact that the Bulgarian Orthodox

STATE OF EMERGENCY REMAINS VALID IN SEVERAL BULGARIAN REGIONS

The state of emergency, announced as a result of the latest floods in Bulgaria, remains valid in Ihtiman, Zhivkovo village, Elin Pelin and the Sofia region, Disaster Management Ministry representatives said. Later is pumped out of the ground floors of houses in the Pleven region. The electricity network and water supply were re-established in all affected villages, mediapool.bg reported. Experts from the national

Pizza West

THERE is a popular adage that suggests that pizza is like sex - even when it's bad, it's still good. One need not worry about such things when dining on the culinary nectar that is the pizza served at the Pizza West restaurant. The restaurant, located across from the National Palace of Culture, makes a refreshing change from the numerous other pizzerias that can be found in Sofia. Upon entry, one first notices the friendly and inviting atmosphere.

Business Briefs

Pre-accession deal signed

FINANCE Minister Milen Velchev and Dimitris Kourkoulas, head of the delegation of the European Commission, have signed memorandums under the ISPA EU pre-accession programme for projects worth a total of 240 million euro.